


The Moonlighters: The Files

by Charulean_Waters, MiddayGiggle



Series: The Moonlighters [2]
Category: Purple Hyacinth - Ephemerys & Sophism (Webcomic)
Genre: Contains Spoilers of the Main Story
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:00:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 7,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26831047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Charulean_Waters/pseuds/Charulean_Waters, https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiddayGiggle/pseuds/MiddayGiggle
Summary: Since we (mostly Waters) are incredibly extra, we wanted to include a few little tidbits for you guys to read along with the characters!Keep in mind that these may not be completely accurate and are meant as supplemental material toThe Moonlighters. We encourage you to read the actual story as well, since these will likely make no sense at all otherwise.
Series: The Moonlighters [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1956586
Comments: 2
Kudos: 73





	1. Lukas Randall: Deposition Transcript

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Read along with Lauren!
> 
> Lukas Randall's Deposition Transcript appears in Chapter 4 of _The Moonlighters_.

**Ardhalis Police Department**

Transcript of Interview

  
  
NAME: LUKAS RANDALL  
DATE OF INTERVIEW: 26/10/██31  
CASE ID:  01-H-4289

  
  
INTERVIEWED BY: DETECTIVE OLIVER MARCH  
LOCATION OF INTERVIEW: APD; ELEVENTH PRECINCT  


** I. BACKGROUND **

  * On October 26th,  ██31, Officer Lukas Randall was interviewed by APD Head Detective Oliver March at the interrogation room of the APD 11th Precinct. Also present were Kieran White and Lila Desroses.



** II. OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT  
  
**

**OM** — It is currently 10:46 am on October 26th, ██31\. Head Detective Oliver March, currently at the 11th Precinct of the APD to interview Officer Lukas Randall of the Ardhalis Police Department. This is for case 01-H-4289, for the murder of Captain Hugues Hermann of which Officer Lukas Randall is a suspect. Also present in the room are Officer Lukas Randall’s attorney Kieran White, private attorney; and Ms. Lila Desroses, Mr. Kieran White’s secretary.

 **OM** — So we meet again, Mr. White.

 **KW** — Indeed, Detective March. As you see, I’m here to represent my client, Mr. Lukas Randall.

 **OM** — Well, shall we begin?

 **KW** — By all means, whenever you’re ready.

 **OM** — Well, Mr. Randall, could you please tell us what happened today? Why were you even in the Precinct that early?

 **LR** — (Sigh) I was doing paperwork and had to check the archives.

 **OM** — And what paperwork were you doing that required you to be in the office so early?

 **LR** — I was fixing up paperwork from the previous day’s patrol. It’s much quieter in the mornings before Ladell- Pardon me, Sergeant Ladell, arrives at the office.

 **OM** — I don’t recall ever going past the Captain’s office on my way to the archives unless he had called me there. Why did you pass by Hermann’s office?

 **KW** — You know he’s not obligated to answer that.

 **LR** — (Simultaneously to KW) You know I’m not obligated to answer that.

 **OM** — (Sigh) Perfectly alright, let’s continue then. Why were you unconscious and lodged in such a… compromising position under the captain’s desk?

 **LR** — I’m not sure. I heard a gasp coming from inside, but when I stepped inside to see what was going on, I was immediately knocked unconscious by someone or something.

 **OM** — So you weren’t holding a vial, syringe, or any other weapon?

 **LR** — Absolutely not. Only my gun, of course, but it was in my belt.

 **OM** — I don’t suppose you’ll be willing to tell me what exactly you saw after stepping into the room?

 **LR** — You know me well, Detective.

 **OM** — Well, gentlemen and lady, I believe we will be in touch again very soon. I’ll have lieutenant Hawkes bring you your paperwork for release. As I’m sure you’re aware, Officer Randall, you are not to leave Ardhalis city prior to trial.

 **LR** — Thank you, Detective.

**INTERVIEW CONCLUDED**

[ ](https://see.fontimg.com/api/renderfont4/VGqP0/eyJyIjoiZnMiLCJoIjozMiwidyI6MTUwMCwiZnMiOjIxLCJmZ2MiOiIjMDAwMDAwIiwiYmdjIjoiI0ZGRkZGRiIsInQiOjF9/THVrYXMgUmFuZGFsbA/margareta.png)

MR. LUKAS RANDALL

[ ](https://see.fontimg.com/api/renderfont4/MVBVP/eyJyIjoiZnMiLCJoIjozMiwidyI6MTUwMCwiZnMiOjIxLCJmZ2MiOiIjMDAwMDAwIiwiYmdjIjoiI0ZGRkZGRiIsInQiOjF9/S2llcmFuIFdoaXRl/missella.png)

MR. KIERAN WHITE 

[ ](https://see.fontimg.com/api/renderfont4/qZo4r/eyJyIjoiZnMiLCJoIjo0MiwidyI6MTUwMCwiZnMiOjI4LCJmZ2MiOiIjMDAwMDAwIiwiYmdjIjoiI0ZGRkZGRiIsInQiOjF9/T2xpdmVyIE1hcmNo/housttely-signature.png)

MR. OLIVER MARCH

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone, Waters here :) I'll be the one you see mostly in this work.
> 
> So, we were were writing Chapter 3 of The Moonlighters, I decided to let my **extra** brain go wild, and I went:
> 
> _Hey Giggle, wouldn't it be cool...if we could show them some things? Like little handouts in class?_
> 
> It was half a joke at first, but I actually decided to give it a shot. Formatting the very first file took _forever_ (and lead to many laughs among my Computer Science friends who actually know what HTML is and how to use it), but trial and error gave me a better grasp on how to do this, so I hope you guys enjoy these documents!
> 
> Keep and eye out on this work, since there WILL be updates here occasionally with different documents that you can refer to in the future (and sometimes we just do it for the memes) :)


	2. William Hawkes: Deposition Transcript

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Read along with Lauren!
> 
> William Hawkes' Deposition Transcript appears in Chapter 4 of _The Moonlighters_.

**Ardhalis Police Department**

Transcript of Interview

  
  
NAME: WILLIAM HAWKES  
DATE OF INTERVIEW: 26/10/██31  
CASE ID:  01-H-4289

  
  
INTERVIEWED BY: DETECTIVE WESLEY COOPER  
LOCATION OF INTERVIEW: APD; ELEVENTH PRECINCT  


** I. BACKGROUND **

  * On October 26th,  ██31, Lieutenant William Hawkes was interviewed by APD Detective Wesley Cooper at the interrogation room of the APD 11th Precinct.



II. OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT  
  


**WC** — It is currently 8:12 am on October 26th, ██31\. Detective Wesley Cooper, currently at the 11th Precinct of the APD to interview Lieutenant William Hawkes of the Ardhalis Police Department. This is for case 01-H-4289, for the murder of Captain Hugues Hermann, which was reported by Lieutenant William Hawkes and Sergeant Kym Ladell.

 **WC —** Lieutenant Hawkes, could you please tell me what events lead you to the discovery of the body at Captain Hermann’s office?

 **WH** — Sergeant Ladell and I had to get some documents signed by Captain Hermann so we arrived early to do just that. When we got to the office, the door was ajar, and we went in since Captain Hermann didn’t reply to our calls. That’s when we found the body.

 **WC** — And how did you realize the Captain had died?

 **WH** — Well, the office was dimly lit but it was strange that he was just sitting in the dark, so I approached. That’s when we realized he was dead and had foam running down his mouth.

 **WC** — And Sergeant Ladell?

 **WH** — She thought Captain Hermann was simply asleep and was about to leave the office when we realized he was dead.

 **WC** — What about Officer Lukas Randall? How did you two find him?

 **WH —** I stumbled across his legs as I tried to approach Sergeant Ladell, who was shocked at the sight of the corpse. He was unconscious under the desk.

 **WC —** What did you do after that?

 **WH** — We left the office to find the investigation unit and forensic unit, closing the door behind us so one else would enter, in order to keep the crime scene untouched.

 **WC** — When you first walked in, did you or Sergeant Ladell notice the syringe and vial in the room?

 **WH** — We did not.

 **WC —** Alright. I think that’d be all. Thank you for your answers.

**INTERVIEW CONCLUDED**

[ ](https://see.fontimg.com/api/renderfont4/O8L8/eyJyIjoiZnMiLCJoIjo0MiwidyI6MTUwMCwiZnMiOjI4LCJmZ2MiOiIjMDAwMDAwIiwiYmdjIjoiI0ZGRkZGRiIsInQiOjF9/V2lsbGlhbSBIYXdrZXM/tomatoes.png)

MR. WILLIAM HAWKES

[ ](https://see.fontimg.com/api/renderfont4/OVZEd/eyJyIjoiZnMiLCJoIjo1MSwidyI6MTUwMCwiZnMiOjM0LCJmZ2MiOiIjMDAwMDAwIiwiYmdjIjoiI0ZGRkZGRiIsInQiOjF9/V2VzbGV5IENvb3Blcg/the-rich-jullietta-demo.png)

MR. WESLEY COOPER

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cooper actually doesn't have a canon first name, so Giggle and I decided to go with the first name of one of the guys that's been incredibly rude to me in the past. Apologies to anyone reading named Wesley, I'm sure you're fantastic :)


	3. Kym Ladell: Deposition Transcript

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Read along with Lauren!
> 
> Kym Ladell's Deposition Transcript appears in Chapter 4 of _The Moonlighters_.

**Ardhalis Police Department**

Transcript of Interview

  
  
NAME: KYM LADELL  
DATE OF INTERVIEW: 26/10/██31  
CASE ID:  01-H-4289

  
  
INTERVIEWED BY: DETECTIVE WESLEY COOPER  
LOCATION OF INTERVIEW: APD; ELEVENTH PRECINCT  


** I. BACKGROUND **

  * On October 26th,  ██31, Sergeant Kym Ladell was interviewed by APD Detective Wesley Cooper at the interrogation room of the APD 11th Precinct.



II. OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT  
  


**WC** — It is currently 8:32 am on October 26th, XX31. Detective Wesley Cooper, currently at the 11th Precinct of the APD to interview Sergeant Kym Ladell of the Ardhalis Police Department. This is for case 01-H-4289, for the murder of Captain Hugues Hermann, which was reported by Sergeant Kym Ladell and Lieutenant William Hawkes.

 **WC** — Sergeant Ladell, could you please tell me what events led you and Lieutenant Hawkes to discover the body?

 **KL —** Will and I had to get some paperwork approved by Hermann, so we agreed to come to the Precinct early today to do just that. We got to the office and the door was cracked open, so we called, but Hermann didn’t answer, so we went inside.

 **WC —** Did you realize immediately Captain Hermann was dead?

 **KL** — We didn’t, the room was dark. I thought he was asleep so I was about to leave, but Will checked Hermann’s pulse and he was the one who realized he was dead first. He was the one who pointed it out.

 **WC —** You seem shaken, Sergeant Ladell, is there anything wrong?

 **KL** — Well, unless you haven’t realized, I just discovered a corpse at my workplace. I’m sorry for not expecting that to be the way I’d begin my week, Cooper.

 **WC** — You’re an officer, you should be used to these scenes.

 **KL** — Sergeant, in fact. And I don’t think you would be so impassive if it were you in my place, Cooper. Are we done, Detective?

 **WC** — Not yet. How did you discover Officer Randall’s presence in the room?

 **KL** — Will did. He stumbled into Lukas’ legs.

 **WC** — And what did you two do after that?

 **KL** — Left the room to get the investigation unit and forensic unit.

 **WC —** Did you or Lieutenant Hawkes noticed the vial and syringe in the room?

 **KL —** No, we didn’t.

 **WC —** Good, that’d be all. Thank you for your answers, Sergeant.

**INTERVIEW CONCLUDED**

[ ](https://see.fontimg.com/api/renderfont4/X3rmG/eyJyIjoiZnMiLCJoIjo1MSwidyI6MTUwMCwiZnMiOjM0LCJmZ2MiOiIjMDAwMDAwIiwiYmdjIjoiI0ZGRkZGRiIsInQiOjF9/S3ltIExhZGVsbA/hudzaifah-signature.png)

MS. KYM LADELL

[ ](https://see.fontimg.com/api/renderfont4/OVZEd/eyJyIjoiZnMiLCJoIjo1MSwidyI6MTUwMCwiZnMiOjM0LCJmZ2MiOiIjMDAwMDAwIiwiYmdjIjoiI0ZGRkZGRiIsInQiOjF9/V2VzbGV5IENvb3Blcg/the-rich-jullietta-demo.png)

MR. WESLEY COOPER

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We just imagined that Kym would get fed up with how _useless_ Cooper is, and it's interesting to see how different she and Will go about answering questions :)


	4. Crime Scene Investigation Report

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Read along with Lauren!
> 
> The Crime Scene Investigation Report appears in Chapter 4 of _The Moonlighters_.

**Ardhalis Police Department**

Crime Scene Investigation Report

  
  
**INVESTIGATOR NAME** : OLIVER MARCH  
CASE ID:  01-H-4289  
LOCATION: Arhadlis Police Department, 11th Precinct, Ardhalis City

** I. Did the death take place where the body was discovered or was it moved? **

  * On October 26th,  ██31, the body of Captain Hugues Hermann was found inside the Captain Office of the APD 11th Precinct. It presented no signs of having been moved.



** II. Was there any attempt to alter the scene? **

  * There did not appear to be an attempt to alter the crime scene. Upon discovery of the crime scene by Lieutenant William Hawkes and Sergeant Kym Ladell, the room was sealed off until the forensic team arrived. However, the desk was found to be in disarray.



** III. Is the cause of death clearly apparent? **

  * It was evident Captain Hugues Hermann’s death was caused due to asphyxiation as a result of poisoning. The specific poison was unclear.



** IV. Are there sufficient clues/physical evidence to indicate how the crime occurred, and where the victim and perpetrator were in relation to each other during the crime?  **

  * There is sufficient evidence to draw conclusions as to how the events unfolded, but not enough to relate the victim and suspected perpetrator (Officer Lukas Randall).



[ ](https://see.fontimg.com/api/renderfont4/O8L8/eyJyIjoiZnMiLCJoIjo0MiwidyI6MTUwMCwiZnMiOjI4LCJmZ2MiOiIjMDAwMDAwIiwiYmdjIjoiI0ZGRkZGRiIsInQiOjF9/V2lsbGlhbSBIYXdrZXM/tomatoes.png)

MR. WILLIAM HAWKES

[ ](https://see.fontimg.com/api/renderfont4/qZo4r/eyJyIjoiZnMiLCJoIjo0MiwidyI6MTUwMCwiZnMiOjI4LCJmZ2MiOiIjMDAwMDAwIiwiYmdjIjoiI0ZGRkZGRiIsInQiOjF9/T2xpdmVyIE1hcmNo/housttely-signature.png)

MR. OLIVER MARCH

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you know. That Hermann's first name. Is **_not_** "Hughes" but is instead "Hugues"? Yeah, we didn't (either, or perhaps we're just very unobservant) until we were on Soph's stream and someone brought it up. Looking back at the Webtoon, we can't help but ask:
> 
> Soph, Eph...what were you _thinking_ when you named him that-


	5. Preliminary Hearing, Transcript Fragment: James Nichols

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James Nichol's Preliminary Hearing Transcript Fragment is recorded in Chapter 7 of _The Moonlighters._

  
ARDHALIS CITY  
  
  
vs  
  
  
LUKAS RANDALL

PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION  
CASE 01-H-4289

DATE: NOVEMBER 2nd,  ██31  


  
BEFORE: ADILA THEMINS  
Circuit Court Judge 

APPEARANCES:  LAUREN SINCLAIR 

SPECIAL PROSECUTOR 

On behalf of Ardhalis City 

KIERAN WHITE 

PRIVATE DEFENSE ATTORNEY 

On behalf of the Defendant 

LUKAS RANDALL 

DEFENDANT 

Appeared in person 

**TRANSCRIPT OF PROCEEDINGS**

_Reported by William Brown, RPR_  
_Official Court Reporter_

**THE COURT:** At this time, the court calls the matter of Ardhalis City v. Lukas Randall, case number 01-H-4289. Will the parties please state their appearances for the record, please.

 **ATTORNEY SINCLAIR:** Your Honor, Ardhalis City appears by Attorney Lauren Sinclair. I appear as Prosecutor in this case.

 **ATTORNEY WHITE:** Your Honor, Lukas Randall appears personally with his attorney, Kieran White.

 **THE COURT:** Are there any issues that we need to address prior to beginning?

 **ATTORNEY SINCLAIR:** No, Your Honor.

 **ATTORNEY WHITE:** (Simultaneously) No, Your Honor.

 **THE COURT:** In that case, Ms. Sinclair, you may call your first witness.

**REDACTED**

**JAMES NICHOLS** , called in as a witness herein, having been first duly sworn, was examined and testified as follows:

JAMES NICHOLS: I do.

THE CLERK: Please be seated. Please state your name, spell your last name for the record.

JAMES NICHOLS: James Nichols, last name, N-i-c-h-o-l-s.

**DIRECT EXAMINATION**

**BY ATTORNEY WHITE:**

******Q.** Please tell us your occupation, Mr. Nichols.

 ******A.** I’m a baker. It’s a family trade.

 ******Q.** Could you please tell us where your bakery is located?

 ******A.** We have two bakeries, but the main one, which is where I work, is located in the eleventh precinct near the police station.

 ******Q.** And what is your workday like, normally?

 **A.** Well, due to my profession, I have to wake up every day at 3:30 in the morning so I can get to the bakery by 4. Once I get to the bakery, I prepare the baked goods for the day. The staff arrives at around 6 a.m., and we open at 7. Before we close at 9 p.m., we’ll prepare the dough and let it rest so we can bake it the next morning.

 ******Q.** Were you also at the bakery on the 26th of October?

 **A.** Yes, absolutely. I remember being a little early as well, since we were releasing a new variation of toast.

 ******Q.** Can you tell us a little more about that morning? Perhaps what you saw, if anything was out of the ordinary?

 ******A.** Well, as I said, I was early that morning. The moon hadn’t completely set yet, so the moonlight still lit up the streets faintly. I always pass by the police station on the way to the bakery, since it’s generally safer and well-lit. (Brief pause to re-adjust his glasses, after the count of nine) So I was walking by the precinct, and I heard a faint rustling above me. It turned out to be a squirrel in a tree, but as I looked up, something else caught my eye. There were two figures in one of the windows of the police department. I could barely make them out, since it was still dark, but I remember that there were two silhouettes in the window.

 **Q.** Do you recall what time this was?

 ******A.** No, not exactly. But I do know that it was between 3:30 and 4:00.

 ******Q.** Were you able to see what was going on in the room, then?

 ******A.** I couldn’t see much, but they were standing quite close to each other. One figure was taller than the other, and they kept waving their arms at each other. I assumed that it was just two people talking to each other, so I didn’t stay to look.

 **Q.** Mr. Nichols, did you know at the time that was Captain Hermann’s window?

 **A.** I usually see the Captain in that window from my bakery. It’s across the street, it’s got a clear view of the whole building.

 **Q.** Did you happen to see Officer Lukas Randall that morning, Mr. Nichols?

 ******A.** Yes. He walks past the bakery every morning on his way to work, sometimes comes around to order something for breakfast. I see him and the other officers almost every day during lunch.

 ******Q.** And on the 26th of October, at what time did you see Mr. Randall go to the APD?

 ******A.** (After the count of six) Around 4:30, sir. I know because I had just put some bread in the oven when he walked past the glass door.

 ******Q.** Just to be sure, Mr. Nichols, you’re claiming that you saw two figures through the window of Captain Hermann’s office _before_ you saw Officer Randall walk to the precinct, on the day of Captain Hermann’s death.

 ******A.** Yes, sir, that’s exactly it.

 ******ATTORNEY WHITE:** No further questions, your Honor.

THE COURT: Ms. Sinclair?

**CROSS-EXAMINATION**

**BY ATTORNEY SINCLAIR:**

******Q.** Mr. Nichols, how come you’re so familiar with the routine of Officer Randall?

 ******A.** I’ve been working in the area for decades, madame. I’ve become familiar with the habits of people around me, watching them. I recognize the two officers that spoke previously as well, I’ve seen them for years around my bakery, and I’ve also seen the female officer sitting next to them.

 ******Q.** You noted that you saw Officer Randall at around 4:30, when you had finished putting the first batch of bread into the oven, correct?

 ******A.** Correct.

 ******Q.** Are you certain that you didn’t see him before? Perhaps he had walked by already and you hadn’t noticed?

 ******A.** No, I was preparing the dough in the kitchen.

 ******Q.** Was anyone with you when you saw the figures in the window? Someone who could confirm that there were indeed two?

 ******A.** No, I was alone.

 ******Q.** Was it dark on the way to the bakery that morning?

 ******A.** Yes, it was. A couple of the lamps had broken a while ago as well.

 ******Q.** Are you sure, then, that you were able to see two figures in the window?

 ******A.** I’m quite sure-

 ******Q.** (Interrupting) There are curtains in Captain Hermann’s office. Do you recall if they were open or closed?

 ******A.** They were… Ah… They were half-closed, but I-

 ******Q.** (Interrupting) So they could have potentially blocked your vision?

 ******A.** Correct. (Sigh)

 **ATTORNEY SINCLAIR:** No more questions, your Honor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This transcript was a huge pain, but I hope you guys enjoy it :) It's a long one, and WILL be important in the future, so this is here for your reference.
> 
> Giggle's Impression of me last night as I formatted this:
>
>> "wHY WON'T YOU MOVE LAUREN"
>> 
>> "KIERAN MOVED WHY DON'T YOU"
>> 
>> "UUUUGGGGHHHHHH"
>> 
>> "This is aaaaaall useless code get away"
>> 
>> "Oh I'm coding in the wrong tab haha I'm dumb"
> 
> Fun fact: In the appearances section, I was just...trial and error-ing the spaces. No alignment. Just...my spacebar (that's why Lauren wasn't moving...I couldn't eyeball the number of spaces...and I was also trying to put spaces in HTML instead of rich text). 


	6. Second Motion Hearing, Transcript Fragment: Grace Riverhood and Sarah Marquez

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grace Riverhood and Sarah Marquez's Second Hearing Transcript is recorded in Chapter 11 of _The Moonlighters_.

  
ARDHALIS CITY  
  
  
vs  
  
  
LUKAS RANDALL

SECOND MOTION HEARING  
CASE 01-H-4289

DATE: NOVEMBER 12th,  ██31  


  
BEFORE: ADILA THEMINS  
Circuit Court Judge 

APPEARANCES:  LAUREN SINCLAIR 

SPECIAL PROSECUTOR 

On behalf of Ardhalis City 

KIERAN WHITE 

PRIVATE DEFENSE ATTORNEY 

On behalf of the Defendant 

LUKAS RANDALL 

DEFENDANT 

Appeared in person 

**TRANSCRIPT OF PROCEEDINGS**

_Reported by William Brown, RPR_  
_Official Court Reporter_

**THE COURT:** At this time, the court calls the matter of Ardhalis City v. Lukas Randall, case number 01-H-4289. Will the parties please state their appearances for the record, please.

 **ATTORNEY SINCLAIR:** Your Honor, Ardhalis City appears by Attorney Lauren Sinclair. I appear as Prosecutor in this case.

 **ATTORNEY WHITE:** Your Honor, Lukas Randall appears personally with his attorney, Kieran White.

 **THE COURT:** Are there any issues that we need to address prior to beginning?

 **ATTORNEY SINCLAIR:** No, your Honor.

 **ATTORNEY WHITE:** No, your Honor.

 **THE COURT:** In that case, I'll have the bailiff call the jury in.

**JURY PRESENT**

**THE COURT:** Are there any issues that you found with accommodations? As I understand, there were some issues with the pens on Tuesday, so I had them replaced. Is there anything else that we have to address before we begin?

 **THE JURY:** No, your Honor.

 **THE COURT:** You may call your witness, Ms. Sinclair.

 **ATTORNEY SINCLAIR:** Thank you, we'll call Grace Riverhood to the stand.

**GRACE RIVERHOOD** , called in as a witness herein, having been first duly sworn, was examined and testified as follows:

GRACE RIVERHOOD: I do.

THE CLERK: Please be seated. Please state your name, spell your last name for the record.

GRACE RIVERHOOD: Grace Riverhood, last name, R-i-v-e-r-h-o-o-d.

**DIRECT EXAMINATION**

**BY ATTORNEY SINCLAIR:**

******Q.** Ms. Riverhood, could you please tell us what your profession is?

 ******A.** I am the lead forensic examiner at the 11th Ardhalis Police Department Precinct.

 ******Q.** And what are your duties with the 11th APD Precinct?

 ******A.** I’m in charge of analyzing the forensic evidence excluding the autopsy, though I will work with the medical examiner if poisons and other substances are involved.

 ******Q.** Ms. Riverhood, I would like you to take a look at Exhibit 1 here. Could you please explain this first exhibit to us?

 **A.** Of course. This was the vial found in Mr. Randall’s hand at the crime scene. The vial itself was made of dark borosilicate glass, and it has a capacity of two milliliters. The vial had been corked, but also had a hole in the center, which was likely used for the syringe.

 ******Q.** Thank you. Do you recognize this syringe you speak of in any of the other exhibits on this board?

 **A.** Yes, the syringe used is shown in Exhibit 2. It was relatively short, which made sense since the vial itself was also quite small.

 ******Q.** What was in the vial?

 ******A.** Small traces of batrachotoxin were found in the cork and in the vial, so we are quite certain that is what was contained.

 **Q.** And was batrachotoxin also found in the syringe?

 ******A.** Correct, batrachotoxin was also found in the syringe.

**ATTORNEY SINCLAIR:** I would, at this time, like to admit Exhibits 1 and 2, your Honor.

 **ATTORNEY WHITE:** No objection, Judge.

 **THE COURT:** The exhibits are admitted then.

******Q.** If I recall correctly from the autopsy report, Captain Hermann died from batrachotoxin poisoning. Was there anything found on these materials that would suggest they were used on Captain Hermann?

 ******A.** Yes. There were small traces of blood that matched Captain Hermann’s blood type, but we cannot be certain that it was _his_ , since we only have the blood type.

 **Q.** Would it be fair to say that these materials were involved in Captain Hermann’s death?

 **A.** (After the beat of three) I suppose so, but there is always the possibility that a different set of equipment was used.

 **Q.** Thank you, Ms. Riverhood. Were any fingerprints found on these two items?

 ******A.** Yes. Mr. Randall’s fingerprints were found on both of these, though some on the syringe were incomplete.

 ******Q.** I’m going to ask you to take a look at Exhibit 3 here on the bottom left of the board, Ms. Riverhood. Could you please explain what it is?

 ******A.** We found shards of glass near Captain Hermann’s bookcase, some of which are shown in Exhibit 3. My team determined that it was soda-lime glass, which is commonly used for objects such as drinking glasses.

 ******Q.** How did the glass end up at the foot of the bookcase?

******ATTORNEY WHITE:** Objection, speculative, your Honor.

 **THE COURT:** I'm going to sustain that objection.

 **ATTORNEY SINCLAIR:** All right, I withdraw that question.

**Q.** Were glass shards found anywhere but at the foot of the bookcase?

 ******A.** There were a few glass shards found scattered around the bookcase, but the artisans who make this particular brand of glass are well-known for making so-called “shatter-resistant” pieces, which might explain why the pieces were mostly in large chunks rather than in little pieces. No shards were found above the bottom shelf.

**ATTORNEY SINCLAIR:** I'd like to admit Exhibit 3 as well.

 **ATTORNEY WHITE:** No objection, your Honor.

 **THE COURT:** Exhibit admitted.

**Q.** Could the location of the glass and the direction it came from be determined?

 **A.** Well, since the brand’s pieces are quite shatter-resistant, we couldn’t determine the amount of force. However, since there were no glass shards found on _top_ of the books on the bottom shelf, the evidence suggests that the glass was thrown or swept off the desk or another area of similar height with a moderate amount of force, causing it to shatter at the foot of the bookcase without small pieces of it ricocheting onto the top of the books.

 **ATTORNEY SINCLAIR:** Thank you, Ms. Riverhood

**THE COURT:** Mr. White, you may ask your questions now.

**CROSS-EXAMINATION**

**BY ATTORNEY WHITE:**

******Q.** Good morning, Ms. Riverhood.

 ******A.** Good morning, Mr. White.

 ******Q.** You mentioned that Mr. Randall’s fingerprints were found on the vial and syringe, correct? And a portion of them were incomplete?

 ******A.** Correct, his fingerprints were indeed found on both items.

 ******Q.** Were any _other_ fingerprints found on the two items?

 ******A.** No, our team didn’t find any other fingerprints...at least, none of them were complete enough for analysis if they _were_ there.

 ******Q.** Was there any smudging at all of the fingerprints you were able to find?

 ******A.** No, there wasn’t. The fingerprints were quite clear, which is why our team could be mostly certain they belonged to Officer Randall.

 ******Q.** I see. Did there appear to be any elongation of the fingerprints due to movement?

 ******A.** No, there wasn’t. The fingerprints were very clear. Our team was able to compare them quite easily to the set of inked fingerprints we have from Officer Randall’s APD file.

 ******Q.** Were the fingerprints pristine?

**ATTORNEY SINCLAIR:** Objection, asked and answered, your Honor.

 **ATTORNEY WHITE:** I apologize, your Honor. I am merely trying to confirm the facts before I continue.

 **THE COURT:** Please, make it quick Mr. White.

**Q.** Alright, Ms. Riverhood. I have only a few more questions for you before we move on to the next topic. Mr. Randall was found unconscious under Captain Hermann’s desk with the vial in his right hand, correct? How loose or tight was his grip over the vial?  
****

******A.** Correct. His grip was also mildly loose. It was barely enough to hold the vial, which is why we think it didn’t smudge when we removed it from him. It basically slipped out of his hand.

 ******Q.** Then why wouldn’t the fingerprints elongate or smear when he loosened his grip on the vial if he had been holding it? He could not have _possibly_ held that vial with that grip if, as you said, it slipped out of his hands. Additionally, Ms. Riverhood, when individuals use a vial and syringe, would you suppose that they use the syringe with their dominant hand or their non-dominant hand?

 ******A.** I… I would assume they would hold the syringe with their dominant hand.

 **Q.** Ms. Riverhood, were you aware that Mr. Randall is right-handed? He writes with his right hand, shoots with his right hand, and throws with his right hand. According to what you said, it makes no sense that the vial would be found in his right hand. Additionally, the fact that his fingerprints were perfectly clear and unsmudged introduces the possibility that maybe his hands were pressedonto the vial similarly to how his hands were pressed onto his file?

 ******A.** (Muttered) Yes.

 ******Q.** He was found unconscious under a desk. If there had been a third party who came onto the scene at any point in time, which is a possibility none of the officers who testified could discredit. Examiner, could you also explain briefly how fingerprints are analyzed?

 ******A.** (After the count of five) Well, if we have fingerprints from a scene, we lift those from the piece of evidence they were imprinted on. Then, we will compare those fingerprints with the prints of various suspects. Our team generally has two different analysts examine the pairs of fingerprints, and they aren’t told which case the fingerprints are from to prevent biases. We look for points where the fingerprints match, such as where ridges intersect and the amount of space between ridges. The APD requires there to be at least 12 points of similarity for the fingerprints to be considered a match, but most of the time we don’t consider prints to conclusively come from the same source unless we find 15 points of similarity.

 ******Q.** Thank you, examiner. Now, you mentioned that fingerprints are analyzed by two different analysts, correct?

 ******A.** Yes, we try to make sure that both declare the same results before coming to any conclusion.

 ******Q.** This means that there is still room for human error in the analyses, correct? They could miss the same differences and accidentally declare the same similarities?

 ******A.** There is always room for human error, Mr. White.

 ******ATTORNEY WHITE:** Thank you. No more questions, your Honor.

**THE COURT:** Any redirect, Ms. Sinclair?

 **ATTORNEY SINCLAIR:** No, your Honor.

 **THE COURT:** In that case, you may call your next witness.

 **ATTORNEY SINCLAIR:** Please call Sarah Marquez to the stand.

**SARAH MARQUEZ** , called in as a witness herein, having been first duly sworn, was examined and testified as follows:

SARAH MARQUEZ: I do.

THE CLERK: Please be seated. Please state your name, spell your last name for the record.

SARAH MARQUEZ: SARAH MARQUEZ, last name, M-A-R-Q-U-E-Z.

**DIRECT EXAMINATION**

**BY ATTORNEY SINCLAIR:**

******Q.** Good morning, Mrs. Marquez. Could you please tell us what your occupation is?

 ******A.** I am the head medical examiner for the 11th Ardhalis Police Department Precinct.

 ******Q.** Please tell us what your duties are as the head medical examiner.

 ******A.** I lead my team in analyzing the bodies of victims and perform autopsies. We analyze tissues, fluids, and other organs to determine the cause, time, and contributing factors of death. We may also analyze the wounds of victims and suspects.

 ******Q.** Thank you. Could you please tell us about the results for Captain Hermann?

 **A.** Well, as Ms. Riverhood mentioned previously, Captain Hermann died from batrachotoxin poisoning.

 ******Q.** What is batrachotoxin? Where does it come from?

 **A.** Well, batrachotoxin is produced by the poison dart frog. It’s incredibly potent and is a cardio and neurotoxic steroidal alkaloid. It’s naturally occurring, but that doesn’t make it any easier to obtain, since the golden frog cannot produce this poison in captivity. Just one milligram of it is enough to kill ten to twenty adult humans.

 ******Q.** What effects does batrachotoxin have on a human?

 ******A.** Well, its neurotoxicity means it has an incredibly large impact on the nervous system. It causes an increased sodium ion permeability, which affects the polarization of the cell membrane. What this basically means is that the nervous system is unable to send signals due to the normally voltage-sensitive sodium channels constantly being active. (After the count of twelve) Well, alright. So what all that basically means is that the body will become paralyzed because batrachotoxin permanently blocks nerve signals from the muscles. As I mentioned previously, batrachotoxin is also cardiotoxic, which means it can cause cardiac arrest.

 **Q.** Alright. What symptoms did Captain Hermann exhibit that made you determine that he died from batrachotoxin poisoning?

 ******A.** Well, we originally noted that he appeared to die from asphyxiation, which could have been caused by paralysis of his muscles. He was also choking on his own vomit when we discovered his body. Considering he was choking in an upright position, that increases the likelihood that he had been paralyzed and unable to move. Most people will hunch over when they vomit to avoid it flowing back down their throat and into their airway. Though we originally believed he died from asphyxiation, when we performed the autopsy, we also found that he suffered from cardiac arrest, which may have played a bigger role in his death. With both of these symptoms, we were quite sure that he was poisoned.

 ******Q.** How is batrachotoxin administered generally? Is it lethal if someone touches it?

 ******A.** No, batrachotoxin doesn’t affect humans if there’s no open wound. However, if batrachotoxin gets into your bloodstream, it’s quite deadly, as I mentioned before. Different tribes of Colombian indigenous people have coated darts in poison, but currently, batrachotoxin is administered by assassins and other criminals through direct injection.

 **Q.** Ms. Riverhood previously mentioned that there was only a small two-milliliter bottle that appeared to contain batrachotoxin. However, only small traces were found. How much would be needed to kill an adult male of Captain Hermann’s size?

 **A.** Even if the bottle wasn’t full, a fraction of a milligram is more than enough, and since Captain Hermann was already nearing middle age, he would have had even less resistance than the average young adult.

 **Q.** Could your team determine the time of death?

 ******A.** Based on his temperature, we determined the time of death to be between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. that morning.

 ******Q.** Thank you, Mrs. Marquez. You also mentioned that your team would examine victims and suspects for injuries. Could you please tell us what you found on Mr. Randall?

 ******A.** Well, we examined Mr. Randall for head trauma first, since we did find him unconscious. While he didn’t appear to suffer from a concussion, he had a large swelling near the back of his head. Other than that, he had multiple bruises, mostly on his arms and knees, but he also had a large bruise on his cheek. We also found evidence of friction burns on his palms and the side of his face, which was likely caused by the carpet.

 ******Q.** And, Mrs. Marquez, in your experience, what might have caused these injuries?

 **A.** Well, these could either be the result of a physical altercation, self-inflicted or inflicted by others without any retaliation on his part.

 **Q.** And in your opinion, Mrs. Marquez, based on Mr. Randall’s injuries, which would be the most likely contributing factor?

 ******A.** We really can’t conclude much. The bruises could be caused by all three, while the friction burns would be harder to self-inflict. The bruise at the back of the head would likely not be self-inflicted, but that doesn’t help us narrow down the other two. All we can conclude are what objects caused those injuries, rather than the circumstances they were inflicted in.

 **ATTORNEY SINCLAIR:** Thank you, Mrs. Marquez. No more questions from me, your Honor.

**CROSS-EXAMINATION**

**BY ATTORNEY WHITE:**

******Q.** Good morning, Mrs. Marquez.

 ******A.** Good morning, Mr. White.

 ******Q.** You noted that Captain Hermann’s death occurred sometime between 4 and 5 a.m., correct?

 ******A.** Correct.

 ******Q.** My client arrived in the office at approximately 4:30 in the morning. This means that there could be the possibility that Captain Hermann was _already_ dead by the time he arrived, correct?

 ******A.** Yes, that could definitely be a possibility.

 ******Q.** You also told us that the scrapes on Mr. Randall’s palms and face were likely caused by the carpet, correct?

 ******A.** Yes.

 ******Q.** But, as you said, Mr. Randall was found under Captain Hermann’s table. There isn’t any carpeting under his desk. The only carpeting in that office is near the door, and as you said, the friction burns are difficult to self-inflict. Does that mean, then, that he could have been, say, dragged across the carpet against his will while he was unconscious?

 ******A.** That’s indeed a possibility. As I said, we couldn’t conclude very much.

 ******Q.** Did Captain Hermann have any injuries on him?

 **A.** Yes, he did. He exhibited signs of resistance, such as a few bruises on his arms and his waist, likely caused by bare-handed punches. Nothing was broken, but it was hard enough to bruise his ribs.

 **Q.** Did Mr. Randall exhibit any bruises on his hands?  
****

******A.** No, he didn’t. At least, not when we examined him. The only things on his hands were friction burns, and the bruises on his arm were on his forearms and elbows.

 ******ATTORNEY WHITE:** Thank you. No further questions, your Honor.

**ATTORNEY SINCLAIR:** No redirect from me, your Honor.

 **THE COURT:** Very well, you are excused. Members of the jury, that takes us to noon, so we’ll take our lunch break right now and return at 1 p.m. I’d like to remind you all that you are not to discuss this case, any of the testimonies you heard this morning, or any other evidence with anyone.

**JURY DISMISSED**

**THE COURT:** Ms. Sinclair, Mr. White. Is there anything that needs to be addressed outside the presence of the jury?

 **ATTORNEY SINCLAIR:** No, your Honor.

 **ATTORNEY WHITE:** Nothing from me either, your Honor.

 **THE COURT:** I'll see you both at one, then. Enjoy your lunch.


	7. Third Motion Hearing, Transcript Fragment: Eleanor Zhang

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eleanor Zhang's Third Hearing Transcript is recorded in Chapter 16 of _The Moonlighters_.

  
ARDHALIS CITY  
  
  
vs  
  
  
LUKAS RANDALL

THIRD MOTION HEARING  
CASE 01-H-4289

DATE: NOVEMBER 16th,  ██31  


  
BEFORE: ADILA THEMINS  
Circuit Court Judge 

APPEARANCES:  LAUREN SINCLAIR 

SPECIAL PROSECUTOR 

On behalf of Ardhalis City 

KIERAN WHITE 

PRIVATE DEFENSE ATTORNEY 

On behalf of the Defendant 

LUKAS RANDALL 

DEFENDANT 

Appeared in person 

**TRANSCRIPT OF PROCEEDINGS**

_Reported by William Brown, RPR_  
_Official Court Reporter_

**THE COURT:** At this time, the court calls the matter of Ardhalis City v. Lukas Randall, case number 01-H-4289. Will the parties please state their appearances for the record, please.

 **ATTORNEY SINCLAIR:** Your Honor, Ardhalis City appears by Attorney Lauren Sinclair. I appear as Prosecutor in this case.

 **ATTORNEY WHITE:** Your Honor, Lukas Randall appears personally with his attorney, Kieran White.

 **THE COURT:** Is there anything we have to address outside the presence of the jury?

 **ATTORNEY WHITE:** Yes, your Honor. I’d like to introduce a new witness for the defense.

 **THE COURT:** Mr. White, you must be aware that this may constitute a violation of the compulsory process clause?

 **ATTORNEY WHITE:** Yes, your Honor. However, I did not willfully withhold information on my witness. In fact, I have just found her yesterday, and Ms. Sinclair here was made aware of my intention to call her to the stand, though she wasn’t made aware of all of the details of the testimony due to the time constraint.

 **THE COURT:** Is this true, Ms. Sinclair?

 **ATTORNEY SINCLAIR:** Yes, your Honor. Despite the short notice, I was technically made aware of this new witness.

 **THE COURT:** And what was the reasoning behind the request to introduce this new witness all of a sudden, Mr. White?

 **ATTORNEY WHITE:** Her testimony adds an incredibly important dimension to the understanding of the case and is key to proving my client’s innocence.

 **THE COURT:** Well, I’m going to trust your judgment, Mr. White. However, I’m also obligated to ask for Ms. Sinclair’s opinion, since, as we mentioned, surprise witnesses are not standard protocol.

 **ATTORNEY SINCLAIR:** No objection to the witness, your Honor. I just ask that the state be able to impeach the witness should she be proven uncredible.

 **THE COURT:** Of course. Is there anything else that we should address before I have the jury brought in?

 **ATTORNEY SINCLAIR:** No, your Honor.

 **ATTORNEY WHITE** : No, your Honor.

 **THE COURT:** Very well. May the bailiff call the jury in.

**JURY PRESENT**

**THE COURT:** Are there any issues that you found with accommodations? As I understand, there were some issues with the pens on Tuesday, so I had them replaced. Is there anything else that we have to address before we begin?

 **THE JURY:** No, your Honor.

 **THE COURT:** You may call your witness, Mr. White.

 **ATTORNEY WHITE:** The defense calls Eleanor Zhang to the stand.

**ELEANOR ZHANG** , called in as a witness herein, having been first duly sworn, was examined and testified as follows:

ELEANOR ZHANG: I do.

THE CLERK: Please be seated. Please state your name, spell your last name for the record.

ELEANOR ZHANG: Eleanor Zhang, last name, Z-h-a-n-g.

**DIRECT EXAMINATION**

**BY ATTORNEY WHITE:**

******Q.** Good morning, Ms. Zhang.

 ******A.** Good morning.

 ******Q.** Thank you for being here today. Please tell us what your occupation is.

 ******A.** I’m a university student at the Ardhalis Central University, but I also work as one of the senior bartenders at The Golden Clover.

 ******Q.** Could you please tell us where you were on the night of October 25th through dawn on the 26th?

 **A.** I was working an extra shift at the Golden Clover. One of the girls called in sick, and my manager called me to take her shift. I began at 10:00 and left after closing, around 5:00 am.

 ******Q.** Did anything, in particular, happen that night?

 **A.** Yes, a pair of odd patrons came in. The Clover has its own share of… Interesting patrons, but these two still stuck out

 ******Q.** Could you tell us who you saw?

 ******A.** I don’t know them, since they aren’t regulars. They might have been a couple, the woman and the man, but I’m not sure.

 **Q.** Could you describe them to us, please, Ms. Zhang?

 ******A.** I couldn’t see much, but I do recall some things. The woman had short, pink hair, a little on the taller side, and slim. It was hard to see her features through the veiled headpiece she wore. It was one of those fishnet ones? It hid most of her face. Elegantly dressed. Maybe in her thirties?

 **Q.** And the man?

 ******A.** He was covered head to toe in winter clothing. I couldn’t even see his hair, he kept it hidden beneath a tweed hat. There was a scarf covering his face. I remember suggesting he give them to the doorman, but he refused. I couldn’t see much. I just remember he was tall and slim as well, and his skin was pale too, almost paper-thin. I could see his veins whenever he grabbed his glass. Very nicely dressed as well.

 ******Q.** Did you spend a lot of time around them, to recall all of this?

 ******A.** No, I had other patrons to serve. But I like observing people, and I thought they were interesting, so I glanced back at them from time to time.

 ******Q.** And what made this pair so unusual, Ms. Zhang? What happened that night that’d make you remember them almost a month after?

 **A.** As in, aside from their very suspicious looks?

(Audience Laughter)

 ******Q.** I am the one asking the questions here, Ms. Zhang, please limit yourself to answering.

 **A.** Yes, sure, sir. Excuse me. Um… That night, this pair came in and sat at the bar, ordered their drinks and they were talking. You know, nothing truly extraordinary. However, as I was serving them I overheard the woman giving the man instructions. They were talking about Captain Hermann… I thought it was weird when the woman said he was dead? I don’t remember her exact words but she said something about “Hermann” dying. Of course, I work close to the APD, so I knew who he was. I thought he had passed away earlier that evening, during work or something, so I didn’t pay it much attention.

 ******Q.** What time was this around?

 ******A.** Ah, almost 3 am, I believe.

 **Q.** You believe or are you sure, Ms. Zhang?

 ******A.** (After the count of five) I am sure. I was checking the clock because I was waiting for my shift to end.

 **Q.** Alright, Ms. Zhang, what happened after that?

 **A.** I only heard tidbits of the conversation, but soon after the man left. The woman stayed by the bar, ordered some more drinks, but nothing out of the ordinary. She smoked a cigar, and I remember that it smelled slightly floral, so I thought that was interesting too. About an hour and a half after he left, the man came back and sat next to her again. As I was serving them their last round, he told her something like “It’s done”.

 ******Q.** Did you hear anything else that night, Ms. Zhang?

 ******A.** Yes, yes… Um, I was making a drink so I was near them for a little bit. I heard the woman insult the man for being careless over… Ah, I believe she said “some idiotic cop”. They were talking about a police officer for sure, someone who had seen the man.

 **Q.** And at what time was this second conversation, Ms. Zhang?

 ******A.** A quarter before 5, perhaps? We closed shortly after.

 **Q.** Alright. Ms. Eleanor. Can you remember anything else you saw or heard that night? Anything precise?

 **A.** Well, I remember the woman arriving before the man. When he came in, I heard pieces of her complaining about him being late or something. That’s also why I originally thought they might have been a couple. So many of the people I’ve seen at the Clover argue about small things like that… Anyhow, I checked back on them a couple of times, got them drinks, you know, that sort of thing. At some point in time, she handed him a small paper bag. I don’t know what was in it, but she told him to be careful. That’s about all I heard, other than their mentions of Captain Hermann, of course.

 ******Q.** Could you please repeat, to the best of your ability, what they said about Captain Hermann?

 ******A.** She said “Hermann’s dead and nobody knows.” I assumed that she meant that nobody knew how he died, or that his death wasn’t public yet. I mean, police work is dangerous and there’s always a chance to die in patrol, right? I assumed he had died earlier.

**ATTORNEY WHITE:** Thank you, Ms. Eleanor. No more questions from me, your Honor.

 **THE COURT:** Ms. Sinclair, you may ask your questions now.

**CROSS-EXAMINATION**

**BY ATTORNEY SINCLAIR:**

******Q.** Good morning, Ms. Zhang.

 ******A.** Good morning.

 ******Q.** I’ll be showing you a picture right now.

**ATTORNEY SINCLAIR:** Your Honor, I would like to admit Exhibit 4.

**THE COURT:** Any objection?

 **ATTORNEY WHITE:** No, Judge.

**Q.** Ms. Eleanor, do you by any chance recognize this button?  
****

******A.** It seems familiar, but I… I don’t really pay that much attention to people’s clothes.

 ******Q.** Do you recall if the woman or the man at the bar that night had similar buttons? Maybe of similar color or size?

 ******A.** I do know that the man that night had decorative buttons of a similar size on his hat! (sigh) I can’t be sure that it’s the same kind though. After all, hat buttons are all around that size, I guess.

**Q.** But you recall seeing something similar on the man that night, correct?

******A.** Correct. In fact, I remember being a little curious when he came back since he seemed to be arguing with the pink-haired woman. They kept pointing at his hat...

 ******Q.** I see… Now, Ms. Eleanor, you mentioned that all of this happened on October 26th, early morning, right?

 ******A.** Yes, _madame_.

 ******Q.** Then, please, Ms. Zhang, tell everyone here: why didn’t you report this to the police? What you saw and heard that night was very incriminating, was it not? Why didn’t you report it sooner?

 ******A.** As I already explained, I hadn’t been aware of what happened to Captain Hermann. I imagined that they had been at the crime scene that night before he died, and I brushed it off when I saw the headlines the morning after. I never thought they could’ve been involved in it.

 ******Q.** I see. (sigh) Ms. Zhang, were you aware that Captain Hermann was found dead in his office at the APD?

 ******A.** Yes, I read it in the papers.

 ******Q.** And were you also aware, Ms. Zhang, that the estimated time of death of Captain Hugues Hermann is between 4:00 to 5:00 am on the morning of October 26th?

 ******A.** (After the count of nine) I… I had no idea, _madame_. I truly didn’t know. Then that means– God, that means…

 ******Q.** I’m afraid so, Ms. Zhang. This conversation you heard happened when Captain Hermann was still alive. (After the count of five) Alright, Ms. Zhang, one last question. The defendant here is Officer Lukas Randall, accused of the Captain’s murder for being found unconscious in the crime scene. Take a good look at him, Ms. Zhang. Does _Monsieur_ Randall share any similarities with the man you saw that evening?

 ******A.** (After the count of ten) No, _madame_ , he doesn’t look like him at all.

(Audience Restlessness)

**THE COURT: Please, order in the room. Ms. Zhang, please elaborate in your answer.**

**A.** I mean… They have a similar build. Tall and slender. But… I mean, their skin tones don’t match at all. The man that night had skin so pale, I mean it, one could see the veins in his hands. Mr. Randall… He’s got a darker skin tone.  
****

**ATTORNEY SINCLAIR:** Thank you very much, Ms. Zhang. No more questions, your Honor.

**REDACTED**


	8. Le Journal: December 22, XX31: Front Page Snippet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This newspaper headline comes from Chapter 19 of The Moonlighters.

  
____________________________________________________________________________

_From left to right: Sergeant Lukas Randall, Captain William Hawkes, and Lieutenant Kym Ladell_

**December 22nd, XX31**

As the end of the year approaches, this Monday, December 21st, the APD promoted three of its members. Following the gruesome murder of the late Captain Hugues Hermann, the APD promoted William Hawkes to the position of Captain of the Ardhalis Police Department in the 11th Precinct. 

The ceremony took place in the 11th Precinct’s conference room in the presence of the officers of the APD, and the friends and family of Captain Hawkes, Lieutenant Ladell, and Sergeant Randall were invited to observe the proceedings as well. The ceremony was presided over by the Chief of Police, Stefan Hawkes.

Captain Hawkes, the son of Chief Stefan Hawkes, graduated from the Ardhalis Police Academy at age twenty with top honors. According to administrative panel members who wish to remain anonymous, “his incredible performance following graduation that allowed him to rise to the position of Lieutenant in record time and his strong abilities to lead the 11th’s Patrol Unit made him the perfect candidate to fill the vacant position.” At age twenty-six, this would make him the youngest Captain in Ardhalis’ history, which is no small feat. Chief Hawkes, however, did not make any further statement or announcement on this matter.

Along with Hawkes’ promotion, previous Sergeant Kym Ladell and Officer Lukas Randall were promoted as well to Lieutenant and Sergeant, respectively. The announcement of Randall’s promotion has stirred controversy among many due to his recently dismissed charges for the murder of Captain Hermann while Lieutenant Ladell’s promotion came as no surprise. Many described her as hardworking, intuitive, and an “eagle-eyed marksman,” earning her the respect of her coworkers and superiors alike.

When asked about his resolutions to fulfill under his leadership, Captain Hawkes declared he expected the true culprit of Hugues Hermann’s death to be found and brought to justice, as well as the murderer of Officer Harvey Wood (deceased in October) and university student Eleanor Zhang (deceased in November), presumed to be the same due to the similarity in modus operandi. His focus on the Mafia Families was also brought up in his interview. William Hawkes declared he’d make sure to provide Justice with all the information the APD had on anything related to the Families in hope of aiding District Attorney Tristan Sinclair in his crusade against mafia activity.

Despite being brief in their declarations, Lieutenant Ladell and Sergeant Randall claimed to be content with the events despite the unfortunate circumstances in which they occurred.

_-Reported by Ruby Harlow_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Everyone! Waters here
> 
> This..this took a fat while. It was definitely more fun than the tedious transcripts though! Thank you to our lovely journalist, Ruby Harlow! We love you, [rabbit_hearted](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rabbit_hearted/works)!


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